too true. it’s almost a given that the person will derail the convo over being CALLED -ist rather than caring that what they did/said is =ist.
sigh.
These fantastic posters by graphic designer Alison Rowan have been popping up on my Facebook and I’m pretty much in love with them.
Do not play with it. Do not test its patience.
My gender specialist told me before supplying me with it that he estimates that it will take ~5 years off my life. He told me that it is dangerous, and he could not recommend it.
He takes it himself. The point is, for both him and me, it’s a necessity. It’s an aggressive drug, but there’s no choice about it.
I am going to copy out the list of side-effects on my leaflet:
Common side effects (between 1 and 10 people in every 100)
TESTOGEL may cause headaches, hair loss, development of painful, tender or enlarged breasts, changes to your prostate gland, diarrhoea, dizziness, an increase in blood pressure, changes to your mood, changes in laboratory blood test results (increase in the number of red blood cells in the blood, lipids), skin hypersensitivity, stinging and loss of memory.
Other side effects have been observed during treatment with oral or injectable testosterone: weight gain, changes of the salt in the blood, muscular pain, nervousness, depression, hostility, breathing problems during sleep, yellowing of the skin (jaundice), changes in the results of tests that check how the liver is working, seborrhoea, sex drive changes, reduction in the number of sperm, frequent or prolonged erections, blockages that may make it difficult to pass urine, water retention, hypersensitivity reactions.
‘Changes in laboratory blood test results’ may not sound like a problem, but you tell me that it’s not when your increased red blood cell count causes you to get a blood clot, which is potentially fatal. You tell me that it’s not when your increased lipids causes you to have a stroke or heart attack.
Testosterone could be your undoing. Some people on this site will die, when they would have survived had they not been on testosterone. It will kill some of us.
Scared? I bloody hope so. It is not a toy.
People who are truly transsexual should respond to it with “I don’t like this, it’s unfair you’ve got me scared over something I have no choice about. I would be dead without it, anyway.”
If you even have an inkling that this is something you can consider not taking, then pause. You need to pause, and think about whether this is worth possibly dying over. Would 5 years of maleness in return for 70 years of femaleness be a reasonable trade? A transman would say emphatically yes. 70 years of femaleness would be an impossibility.
Finally, to actual transmen. Do not despair. Just make sure to have a healthy enough diet and amount of exercise, and keep up with your blood tests. You will probably be unaffected.
Enjoy the life you’ve got. Who cares if it increases the risk of this, that, and the other, because it gives us another chance at life. We are living on time that we’d never naturally have. Thank science, and make the most of it. It makes no difference if testosterone giveth and taketh away, because we start with nothing.We here at Art of Transliness can’t NOT comment on this post that is circulating about the dangers of Testosterone. We feel that this post is of a tone that supports the “You Must Be Trans* Enough” dialogue and we will not tolerate it (we’ve bolded the most obvious parts that speak to this). This post is misleading and some of it is blatantly false and it would be negligent on our parts not to set some things straight.
[We use Fathers as an example of the predominant physiologically-male-bodied figure in people’s lives and understand that not everyone has or is connected with their fathers, please substitute whatever physiologically-male-bodied figure makes the most sense to you in the examples that follow]
*This information in this leaflet appears to apply to people who were assigned male at birth and currently have testosterone as their main secondary sex hormone, keep that in mind!*
**The “Changes to/in” description of the effects of testosterone is correct, IN THAT IT CHANGES METABOLISM/RED BLOOD CELL COUNT/SEX DRIVE/WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION/LIVER FUNCTION/ETC TO THAT OF A PHYSIOLOGICALLY NORMAL BIOLOGICAL MALE WITH PHYSIOLOGICALLY NORMAL PRODUCTION OF TESTOSTERONE. Do not let this post deter you or scare you away from testosterone if you are considering it as an option.**
1) Listen to your prescribing physician about the real dangers of testosterone. Do you know how much medical malpractice costs? Do you think your doctor would put you on a medication that will eventually kill you as this post claims? You’re right, they wouldn’t, and that’s because Testosterone is not what this post makes it out to be.
2) Understand that people with free and bound blood testosterone levels between the ranges of 400-1200microgram/deciliter are at a higher risk for hypertension (high blood pressure), hair loss, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), liver problems, heart attacks and strokes. So basically, you’re at risk of becoming your father when he’s age 65….when you’re age 65….oh…..wait a second…..isn’t that kind of the point? People with estrogen as the primary secondary sex-hormone in their bodies just flat out live longer, we all know that, but does that mean that doctors are considering putting everyone on estrogen and taking every off of testosterone? Of course not. Because the risk is not there and the theory is not justified.
3) We actually encourage you to play with it. Try it on for size, see if it fits. Many of the changes that you experience on testosterone can be undone if you are taken off of it within the first 6 months. There does not need to be a declaration of, “I will put my life on the line and start this radical aggressive drug that could kill me!” - because that risk doesn’t exist. It’s not some brave and honorable thing to start testosterone, and while it can be scary, you’re not at any more of a risk of dying of a clot than your father is and I bet he isn’t losing sleep over it.
4) There are health risks that are probably more important that you should be aware of that this post doesn’t even recognize. Testosterone increases your risk for estrogen dependent cancers. If you have a family history of breast, ovarian, or cervical cancers, please let your prescribing physician know.
5) If you are truly terrified of the effects of testosterone (these aren’t side effects folks, this is a whole-packaged deal here) ask your physician to do monthly blood tests. You’ll want a blood work-up involving a liver function and lipid panel, your free and bound blood testosterone levels, your total red blood cell count, total cholesterol count, your estradiol levels, and if you’re worried about your blood sugar you can have them to an on-the-spot accu-check (it’s the same test that diabetics use and involves a finger prick) or have them run your hemoglobin A1C.
If you have questions about what your risks are, what these tests test for, and why it’s important, please message us. But don’t be afraid of testosterone. Be afraid of people in the community fabricating hurdles and stirring up discontent and fear in folks that don’t know any better.
Let this be a lesson to all of you not to listen to anything snarkytransman says. He’s the reason everyone hates trans men. Gatekeeping jackass.
signal boost. this is important.
There are all kinds of opinions I have on trans men, male privilege, visibility, and the trans* community, but seeing as I’m simply an ally and not a trans* persyn, I’m going to just signal boost this and hope it encourages people to do a little research and thinking and come to their own conclusions on the subject.
As a Privileged Person®, it is natural that you would feel excluded and frustrated by the recent spate of Marginalised People “reclaiming” historically negative words to refer to themselves.
Not only do these Marginalised People™ kick up a great big ole stink by making it “politically incorrect” for Privileged People® to use these words - even going so far as to have some of them defined under ‘hate crime’ legislation! - they take the insult one step further and use them freely amongst themselves!
This is very perplexing and annoying for Privileged People®, who can only stand on the outside, gazing wistfully in, wishing it were a simpler time when it was totally okay for everyone to call women whores, Mexicans spics, Trans* folk trannies, gay men faggots and people of African descent the n-word.
After all, who do those Marginalised People™ think they are, taking ownership of language traditionally used to oppress them! That just isn’t playing fair!
But take heart, because there is a way you can worm around this one - where there’s Privilege®, there’s always a way!
First of all, you must feign utter cluelessness about the ins & outs of reclaimation and behave as though you were under the impression that in these ‘post race/sex/sexuality/gender/etc times’ that we had all evolved into a new era where ‘words don’t mean anything’ and it’s totally okay for everyone to use offensive slurs and then… well: use them.
When a Marginalised Person™ calls you out on it, become indignant. Express confusion. Demand an explanation. Say that you just don’t understand - if you people use those words to refer to each other, why can’t I?!
You see, you’re implying that they’re being hypocritical. That if they are going to use abusive & oppressionist language amongst each other, they simply have to accept that they’re employing a ‘double standard’ by preventing the Privileged® from using them.
What this enables you to ignore is the reality of the power dynamic involved. Language reclaimation is a means by which Marginalised People™ gain back some power they are traditionally denied by taking control of words used to demean and discriminate against them. When these words come from Privileged People®, there is a long and very serious negative history behind them that cannot be divorced from the words themselves. Thus, when Privileged People® employ these words, they are perpetuating that history and the psychology behind the word. They are exercising oppressive power that have become inherent to those words - a power Marginalised People™ seek to subvert and dismantle when they use them.
Pretend not to understand this. Just continue to imply hypocrisy and pout that it isn’t fair.
It also ignores the fact that, from within Marginalised Groups™, discourses around abusive language are actually not simple and there are many divided and varied opinions on the subject. Treating Marginalised People™ like a hive mind is always a great way to further subtly insult them and since the point of this entire debacle is to come out with as many notches on your belt as possible, you want to make sure you slip in as many knocks below their belt as you can manage.
" - ‘But If It’s Okay For Marginalised People To Use Those Words, Why Can’t I?’ - http://www.derailingfordummies.com (via mooglets)
These signs were posted outside the ballroom where the Non-Sexist Dance was being held on my campus; they’re posted in the line and at the entrance of this dance every quarter. This dance is put on by the LGBT Center, and actually is the most popular event of the school year outside of Sun God. Clearly these signs are a good reminder, as I’ve only been approached disrespectfully once in the past three years, and I have never seen any open discomfort, disrespect, or violence, even in the temporarily gender-neutral restrooms.
In addition, this quarter’s was a Halloween-themed dance, and it was made very clear that anyone who chose to wear a racist costume would not be let in to the dance; accordingly, I did not see any costumes in the range of questionably kosher to blatantly racist. Normally I am a cynical person and have very little in the way of positive things to say about our student body, but the Non-Sexist Dance makes me a pretty happy and hopeful queermosexual.
Also thinking about those who are unable to come out today. It’s important to recognize that coming out isn’t always the safest or best option for them at the moment.
I’m not sure if you’re telling me that you’re a trans woman or just a douchebag hetero dude who thinks it’s funny to make that joke, but considering the amount of heteronormative porn on your Tumblr, I’m assuming the second, which means you’re a dick and need to learn how to respect queer sexuality instead of making a joke out of it. If you are in fact the first, I sincerely apologize for my assumptions.
Either way, you do need to learn the difference between “lesbian” and “queer.” I am not a lesbian, nor have I ever implied that I am. I am a queer-identifying woman, but I suppose if I had to pick a more specific and defining label under the queer umbrella, I would say pansexual. Not that is anyone’s business or has any bearing on the legitimacy of my identification, but my current partner is an AMAB person that usually identifies as “he” and my previous sexual and romantic partners have run the gamut of gender, sex, and sexuality identifications and have been both AMABs and AFABs.
TL;DR - My point is that you’re a complete ass and a massive douchebag.
To the dismay of gay-rights activists, the Food and Drug Administration is about to implement new rules recommending that any man who has engaged in homosexual sex in the previous five years be barred from serving as an anonymous sperm donor.
The FDA has rejected calls to scrap the provision, insisting that gay men collectively pose a higher-than-average risk of carrying the AIDS virus. Critics accuse the FDA of stigmatizing all gay men rather than adopting a screening process that focuses on high-risk sexual behavior by any would-be donor, gay or straight.
Queerness, to me, is about far more than homosexual attraction. It’s about a willingness to see all other taboos broken down. Sure, many of us start on this path when we first feel “same sex” or “same gender” attraction (though what is sex? And what is gender? And does anyone really have the same sex or gender as anyone else?). But queerness doesn’t stop there.
This is a somewhat controversial stance, but to me queer means something completely different than “gay” or “lesbian” or “bisexual.” A queer person is usually someone who has come to a non-binary view of gender, who recognizes the validity of all trans identities, and who, given this understanding of infinite gender possibilities, finds it hard to define their sexuality any longer in a gender-based way. Queer people understand and support non-monogamy even if they do not engage in it themselves. They can grok being asexual or aromantic. (What does sex have to do with love, or love with sex, necessarily?) A queer can view promiscuous (protected) public bathhouse sex with strangers and complete abstinence as equally healthy.
Queers understand that people have different relationships to their bodies. We get what it means to be stone. We know what body dysphoria is about. We understand that not everyone likes to get touched the same way or to get touched at all. We realize that people with disabilities may have different sexual needs, and that people with survivor histories often have sexual triggers. We can negotiate safe and creative ways to be intimate with people with HIV/AIDs and other STIs.
Queers understand the range of power and sensation and the diversity of sexual dynamics. We are tops and bottoms, doms and subs, sadists and masochists and sadomasochists, versatiles and switches. We know what we like and don’t like in bed.
We embrace a wide range of relationship types. We can be partners, lovers, friends with benefits, platonic sweethearts, chosen family. We can have very different dynamics with different people, often all at once. We don’t expect one person to be able to fulfill all our diverse needs, fantasies and ideals indefinitely.
Because our views on relationships, sex, gender, love, bodies, and family are so unconventional, we are of necessity anti-assimilationist. Because under the kyriarchy we suffer, and watch the people we love suffering, we are political. Because we want to survive, we fight. We only want the freedom to be ourselves, love ourselves, love each other, and live together. Because we are routinely denied that, we are pissed.
Queer doesn’t mean “don’t label me,” it means “I am naming myself.” It means “ask me more questions if you’re curious” and in the same breath means “fuck off.”
At least, that is what it means to me.
" -http://tranarchism.com/2011/07/07/what-queerness-means-to-me (via saint-feral)
so much yes to this
(via sexstainability)
Elizabeth Boskey, Ph.D.Why Women Who Have Sex With Women Need To Think About ProtectionFor many adult women, health care revolves around the need for contraception. In many ways, the American medical establishment is designed around this accepted fact. Women frequently get their primary care through OB/GYNs and similar practitioners, who provide not only gynecological services but also regular health screening exams. Women who don’t need contraception, either because of age, sexual orientation, or other lifestyle issues, are less likely to take advantage of recommended preventative care. In some cases, this can be life threatening. Lack of regular pap smears among lesbians and older women has been implicated in their increased risk of dying from cervical cancer.Lesbians may also have other barriers to dealing with the mainstream medical system. Even if they do use traditional health care, they may feel uncomfortable disclosing their sexuality to doctors if they fear they will be judged. Lack of ability to discuss sexual health, however, may impact other areas of a woman’s life. When you shut the door on talking about something as essential as sexuality, you also lose the opportunity to talk about many other health issues.
It can be difficult for any woman to discuss sexual health issues with her doctor. It is often easiest when they simply need to answer direct questions, but these questions may not be relevant to lesbians and other women who have sex with women (WSW). For example, a doctor might ask “How many men have you had sex with this year?” or “Do you use condoms every time you have intercourse?” and neither question would give an accurate picture of a WSW’s sexual history. This, combined with a fear of prejudice that can be intensified by these heterosexist assumptions, may make lesbians reluctant to discuss their sexual history with a physician. Even, or perhaps particularly, when that sexual history occasionally includes men.
Many women who identify as lesbians have had sex with a man at least once in their lives. For many reasons, women who identify as lesbians are less likely to use protection during sexual encounters with men. This increases the risk of disease transmission at each encounter, as does the fact that many lesbians’ male sexual partners, when they have them, tend to be at higher risk than the partners of heterosexual women.
Those lesbians who have never slept with a man are also at risk of sexually transmitted diseases. A higher number of female partners has been associated with increased risk of bacterial vaginosis, herpes, and HPV in various studies. This risk is compounded by the fact that many lesbians and bisexual women consider sex between women to be a low-risk activity and so do not practice safer sex.
Lesbian safer sex is not an oxymoron. There are ways to improve the safety of most, if not all, sexual activity that takes place between women. The mechanics of many safer sex acts between women are the same as those for many other types of couples and include:
- Using barriers, such as dental dams and dental dam harnesses, non-microwavable saran wrap, or slit open condoms, for oral-vaginal and oral-anal contact.
- Using gloves when inserting fingers into the vagina or rectum.
- Putting condoms on insertable sex toys and changing the condom for each partner.
Note: Condoms should also be changed when moving a toy from the vagina to the rectum or vice versa.Note: These safe sex tips apply to anyone with a vagina.
- 12/1/2008 Nominates Hillary Clinton to Secretary of State
Obama announces nomination of Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Confirmed by the Senate on Jan 21, 2009. Secretary Clinton has put the issues and rights of women around the globe in the forefront of US foreign policy.
- 1/23/2009 Issues Executive Order Repealing Global Gag Rule
Issues an executive order repealing the Global Gag Rule, which prohibited overseas family planning programs that receive US aid from using non-US monies for abortion counseling, advocacy, and/or referrals.
- 1/23/2009 Pledges and does restore funding of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Restores funding of programs that improve access and quality of reproductive health care including family planning, prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula, and the prevention of STDS such as HIV/AIDS.
- 1/26/2009 Nominates First Woman Solicitor General
Obama nominates Elena Kagan to solicitor general. She is confirmed on March 29th.
- 1/29/2009 Signs Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
The Ledbetter Act corrects the Roberts Supreme Court decision that gutted the ability of women workers to sue for wage discrimination under Title VII.
- 2/4/2009 Signs the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2009 (SCHIP)
Expands government health insurance to cover 11 million children.
- 2/17/2009 Passes Economic Stimulus Package
Saves and creates jobs in traditionally women-heavy fields- health care, child care, and education- in $787 billion economic stimulus package; also increases Medicaid, food stamps, and unemployment benefits. Saves some 400,000 teachers’ jobs and estimated to save or create 3.7 million jobs, 1.5 million or 42% of which are for women.
- 3/2/2009 Appoints Most Diverse Cabinet in History
On this date, Kathleen Sebelius becomes the 7th woman appointed to Obama’s cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services, joining Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, and Small Business Administration Administrator Karen G. Mills. Obama’s cabinet is the most diverse cabinet in history, with the highest number of women named to the cabinet or cabinet level positions in a first term.
- 3/6/2009 Institutes New Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues
- 3/11/2009 Creates White House Council on Women and Girls
Council is responsible for coordinating federal response to the challenges facing women and girls. Council chair is Valerie Jarrett and Executive Director is Tina Tchen.
- 3/11/2009 Signs FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
Reinstates low-cost birth control availability at college health centers and at some 400 clinics serving low-income women.
- 3/19/2009 Supports UN Declaration on Human Rights
Pledges to sign UN declaration to decriminalize homosexuality, which President Bush refused to sign.
- 4/6/2009 Appoints first Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues
Melanne S. Verveer became the first ever Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues. Ambassador Verveer is Director of the Department of State’s first Office on Global Women’s Issues.
- 5/26/2009 Nominates Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court
She becomes the third woman and first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court.
- 6/26/2009 Appoints Advisor on Violence Against Women
Lynn Rosenthal is appointed as first White House violence against women advisor.
- 7/24/2009 Announces US Will Sign United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
President Obama announces the US will sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at a ceremony commemorating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- 7/31/2009 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Signed
Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the United Nations, signs the United Nations Convention (Treaty) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the UN Headquarters.
- 10/30/2009 Ends HIV Travel Ban, Signed Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act
Starting in 1987, foreign nationals with HIV were banned from obtaining US visas or becoming permanent citizens. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act increases funding for HIV programs and continues funding the Minority AIDS Initiative.
- 12/16/2009 Signs the FY 2010 Omnibus Appropriations Act
The act includes several major gains for women’s health and civil liberties and eliminates traditional sources of funding for abstinence-only programs.
- 1/2010 Creates Equal Pay Task Force
Identifies weaknesses in current strategy, creates action plans to eliminate pay gap, and coordinates efforts between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and the Office of Personnel Management.
- 3/30/2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
The act strengthens Pell Grants, increases investment and support of community colleges, MSIs, and HCUs, and improves federal student loans.
- 3/23/2010 Signs Affordable Care Act (ACA) – Commonly Known as Obamacare
This historic measure will provide health care insurance coverage to some 32 million uninsured people, including expanding Medicaid to an additional 16 million people, and closes the donut hole for the Medicare drug program. The ACA ends sex discrimination in health insurance, especially pricing discrimination for women who, on the average, pay 48% more than men for the same policy. It increases access to preventive care, including cancer screenings and contraception, without co-pays or deductibles. It also mandates maternity and prenatal coverage.
- 4/15/2010 Issues Presidential Memorandum on Hospital Visitation Rights
Reinforces patients’ visitation rights and right to designate visitors. Also reinforces that hospitals cannot deny visitation based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or nationality.
- 4/20/2010 Strengthens Title IX
Rescinds Bush-era sports policy regulation of Title IX that would have weakened programs for women athletes.
- 5/10/2010 Nominates Elena Kagan for Supreme Court
Kagan becomes the fourth female justice to ever serve on the Supreme Court.
- 6/2/2010 Extends Same-Sex Partner Benefits
Signs memorandum extending benefits, including health care coverage, to same-sex partners of federal employees.
- 7/16/2010 Unveils National HIV/AIDS Strategy
This is the first large-scale domestic AIDS relief program, aimed at lowering incidence of infection, increasing access to care, and promoting regular testing. The plan focuses on gay men, minorities, and women, all of whom have a higher incidence of the disease in the United States.
- 7/29/2010 Signed Tribal Law and Order Act
Increases communication between federal, state, and tribal law enforcement in order to help combat high rates of sexual assault and violence on Native American reservations.
- 10/28/2010 Signs Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Act expands current hate crimes law to include violence based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. This is the first time women are included.
- 12/22/2010 Repeals Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Repeals policy that had prohibited the military from inquiring about a service member’s sexual orientation and called for the discharge of anyone who acknowledges being lesbian or gay.
- 2/22/2011 Repeals “Conscience” Rules
Rescinds the “conscience” rules, first instituted under the Bush administration, that granted protections to medical providers who refused to provide abortions, sterilization, in-vitro fertilization, and other medical procedures, such as care to AIDS patients, due to moral objections.
- 6/3/2011 Names Woman as White House Counsel
Names Kathryn Ruemmler White House Counsel, making her the second female White House Counsel in US history.
- 7/19/2011 Announces Support of Repeal of Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
DOMA defines marriage as between one man and one woman and denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages, as well as the legal benefits attached to marriage, including Social Security survivors’ benefits, family and medical leave, and immigration rights.
- 8/23/2011 Issues Executive Order to Increase Diversity
Order aims to increase diversity in federal government. Obama also commended for diversity in federal appointments- 21% of appointees are African American and nearly 50% are women. Obama has also appointed more openly gay US officials than any other president.
- 9/9/2011 Introduces American Jobs Act
Act would benefit women by preventing about 280,000 teachers’ layoffs, 900,000 women-owned small businesses and numerous non-profit organizations whose workforces are largely comprised of women would benefit from a 50% cut in employer payroll taxes.
- 12/19/2011 Establishes National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security
Plan formalizes the nation’s commitment to promoting women’s role in conflict prevention and resolution.
- 1/6/2012 Supports and Achieves Change in Definition of Rape
Supports FBI’s change in definition of rape, dropping the word “forcible.” The new definition is: ”Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”
- 1/20/2012 Does Not Broaden Religious Exemption for Birth Control Coverage
Employers, even religiously affiliated employers, must provide birth control coverage in health insurance plans without co-pays or deductibles. Only Houses of Worship are exempt from the ACA requirement. In an accommodation, the administration announced that if a religiously-affiliated institute objects, the insurance company or a third party administrator will provide the coverage for contraception directly to the employee or student without institutional involvement.
- 4/19/2012 Issues Memo Addressing Domestic Violence in Federal Agencies
Memo requires federal agencies to create comprehensive policies to assist employees who are victims of domestic violence.
- 5/9/2012 Supports Same Sex Marriage
Becomes the first President to publicly support same sex marriage.
- 5/17/2012 Requests Senate Ratify United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
President Obama officially requests that the US Senate ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- 6/15/2012 Announces Change in Immigration Policy to No Longer Seek Deportation of Young Undocumented Immigrants
Undocumented immigrants under the age of 30 without criminal records who came to the US as children will no longer be deported, but instead will be allowed to apply for work permits.
- 6/18/2012 Nominates and Senate Confirms Another Woman Federal Judge
The Senate confirms Mary Geiger Lewis to the US 4 the Circuit Court of Appeals. Obama has nominated more women to the federal bench than any other president in history, with some 41% of his nominees women and 45% of those nominees confirmed. Of the nominees, 35% have been people of color.
- 6/282012 Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act
In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court upholds the Constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act – an historic advance for women that will protect the lives and health of millions of women and their families each year and make our nation stronger and healthier.
- 8/1/2012 Preventive Care Package of ACA (Obamacare) Goes into Effect
The preventive care package for new insurance plans or policies, requiring no co-pays or deductible goes into effect. It includes cancer screenings, e.g. mammograms, pap smears, colonoscopies, STI testing, and counseling; all FDA approved contraceptives (birth control pills, IUDs, injectables); well woman visits; prenatal care, breastfeeding supplies and counseling; and domestic violence screening and counseling.
